Following the success of the initial Ant Chloe book and video last year, a charming new video and print book sequel is set to teach children about the importance of teamwork and numbers. At the same time, it will be raising funds for children’s charity Momentum. Written and illustrated by mother of two Barbara Panetta of Richmond, Surrey. Chloe and the Gr-ant-father Clock is available as a video book on the Ant Chloe YouTube channel, voiced by Sally Phillips. The contribution of the British award-winning actress, television comedian and presenter of BBC’s Sunday Morning Live follows ITV presenter Ben Shephard, who kindly did the voice over for the first book in the Ant Chloe series, Chloe’s Promise.
Chloe and the Gr-ant-father Clock is a delightful new story about teamwork and how, only by using the diverse skills of each of the family members, including all her brothers and sisters, the little ants fix the problem of the broken Gr-ant-father Clock. As well as securing the involvement of Sally Phillips, Barbara Panetta was also able to enlist the generous collaboration of composer andpianist Alessandro Viale, who created a bespoke soundtrack for the video book, performed with Laura Marzadori, lead violinist of the theatre of Milan La Scala.
Children’s psychologist Giovanna Campolo helped to ensure that the moral of the story is appropriate for children of three years and above. The result is a charming, illustrative lesson about teamwork, learning numbers and the value of the unique skills of each individual person, that is sure to engage and boost self-confidence in any small child.
The video is available on the Ant Chloe YouTube channel.https://youtu.be/eu5wYUksfAM For more information visit the website www.antchloe.com. The paperback version of the book will be available on 10th of March
Momentum Charity Momentum Children’s Charity supports families across South West London, Surrey and West Sussex whose children are facing cancer or a life-challenging condition. Being told your child has cancer or another life-challenging condition is devastating. Day-to-day life is turned upside down. Momentum supports the entire family during times of unimaginable strain – the children and their parents, but also siblings and grandparents too. Momentum makes sure that no family has to cope alone by providing personally tailored support to the entire family, both in hospital and at home.
For more information visit: https://www.moment-um.org/home/
The Story The story is about a little ant named Chloe and her brothers and sisters who live in a small house with a Gr-ant-father Clock that regulates their lives. One night, a big storm blows into the house and breaks the clock. All its numbers are blown out of the window. The next day, when the storm has passed, Chloe and all her brother and sisters must work as a team and use all of their individual skills to recover all the numbers, in order to help mummy and daddy ant to fix the clock.
Illustrations and Language Through the illustrations and the use of simple language, children can identify with the main characters, comparing themselves to one of the members of the ant family with a special skill and understand the importance of teamwork and each of us having a special skill one particularly excels at. This book is illustrated and painted using watercolour, rather than digital processing, to keep it as simple as possible.
The Music The music to this story has been written, selected and recorded at home, during the third lockdown, by the Italian composer and pianist Alessandro Viale. The little ant pianist, Chloe thinks musically: every thought, every feeling, is reflected in the different tunes. Alessandro Viale identified himself with the little Chloe, playing most of the music on his ancient 1815 Broadwood piano. The music is also performed by Laura Marzadori, lead violinist of the Scala Milan.